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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25651981">One Week</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarrySummers04/pseuds/StarrySummers04'>StarrySummers04</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>It Was Always You [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk (2008)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Implied Sexual Content, James "Rhodey" Rhodes &amp; Tony Stark Friendship, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Post-The Incredible Hulk (2008), Pre-Mpreg, The events of TIH took place before Iron Man, Tony Stark Can't Cook, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony is in love, supportive best friends</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:00:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,106</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25651981</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarrySummers04/pseuds/StarrySummers04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony convinces Bruce to stay for a little bit, the physicist agrees to spend a week with him before heading to India. They send all their time together and Bruce even gets to meet Tony's friends.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bruce Banner/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>It Was Always You [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1823479</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One Week</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Bruce woke up the next morning, wrapped up in Tony’s safe embrace, he just wanted to stay there forever, unfortunately, he knew he couldn’t stay.  “Morning.” Tony smiled, pulling Bruce in for another kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi.” Bruce whispered, eagerly returning the kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long can you stay?” Tony asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not long, I’m leaving the country again. I just knew I needed to see you.” Bruce replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give me a week.” Tony stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay for a week, please. I want you to stay for at least a week.” Tony requested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Bruce sighed. Tony pulled the covers off them both and led Bruce into the bathroom, they were both still sticky from the previous night’s activities. After showing, they went through to the kitchen where Bruce made them both some pancakes. Tony would have done it but, he burnt the first batch so Bruce offered to do it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony moved out of the room and called Pepper. “Hello Tony, did you have a nice night with whoever that was?” Pepper asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was THE guy.” Tony replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, the one from 8 years ago? That guy?” Pepper checked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, he’s not bad looking, I’ll give you that.” Pepper joked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you talking about? He’s absolutely gorgeous. And he’s brilliant, too. He’s a scientist. Bruce has at least 5 PhD’s.” Tony explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well since he’s returned do we finally get to do a background check?” Pepper asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you really think I’m not going to tell Happy and Rhodey?” Pepper questioned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s fair. But why should I let you?” Tony replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because we care about you. We want to know that he’s someone safe.” Pepper commented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Depends on your definition of safe.” Tony laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony…” Pepper warned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why can’t you just trust me when I say he’s safe?” Tony asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because you have a history, Tony, you often choose the wrong person.” Pepper sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s not like the rest okay, he’s-” Tony started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“TONY! Breakfast is ready!” Bruce called.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gotta go. Oh, and cancel anything planned for the rest of the week.” Tony said, hanging up immediately. He went back into the kitchen and pulled Bruce into a kiss now that there was no risk of burning the food. Bruce accepted the kiss eagerly, before pulling back and laughing.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>After breakfast, Tony led Bruce through to the main room and then put the TV on, they curled up together on the couch but Bruce couldn’t stop looking out of the window at the views, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to the beach. They were interrupted by Tony’s phone ringing. “Hello?” Tony answered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you going to tell us anything more or are we coming over uninvited to meet him?” Rhodey asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pepper called you.” Tony stated. It wasn’t a question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy knows, too. She’s only just able to keep him back but if you don’t let us check then she will send him over.” Rhodey warned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give me some time and I’ll get back to you on that.” Tony replied. Bruce laughed, able to hear both sides of the conversation from where he was curled up with his head on Tony’s shoulder, next to the phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have until tonight.” Rhodey replied, ending the call.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, I take it your friends want to meet me.” Bruce smiled, pulling Tony into another kiss. Since he was able to reach out and kiss Tony whenever he wanted to, Bruce was taking advantage of the fact that he had this for a week. He had no idea how he was going to leave at the end of the week.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, they wanted to meet you after the first time we met, I couldn’t get you out of my head for months.” Tony admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never stopped thinking about you.” Bruce responded. Tony turned off the TV and led Bruce back through to the bedroom.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, are you up for meeting my friends?” Tony asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess but how are you going to introduce me? They clearly know about our first meeting.” Bruce responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re Bruce, I don’t really have any other way to describe you. They know we have sex so…” Tony trailed off. Bruce rolled his eyes and curled up to Tony’s side again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll need to have a shower before they get here.” Bruce remarked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready to go again?” Tony smirked. Bruce laughed and pulled away, following Tony into the bathroom. It was a weird feeling, walking around naked, but Bruce was enjoying it.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Unbeknown to Tony, Pepper was currently sitting in his office with Rhodey and Happy. “So, what did you find out about Bruce Banner?” Pepper asked, turning to Rhodey. She would have checked herself, but he had access to the military database and Tony was important enough that they needed to check out anyone that Tony wanted to keep around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony was right about the 5 PhD’s, this man clearly has a brilliant mind.” Rhodey began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I sense a but coming.” Happy commented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But, there was an accident when he was working on a classified military/government project.” Rhodey tried, struggling to find the exact words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What kind of accident?” Pepper asked, fearing the answer in regards to Tony’s safety.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was working on a project to try and replicate the Super Soldier Serum, the serum that turned Steve Rogers into Captain America, Banner and his team were working with gamma radiation, and I’m not a nuclear physicist so I don’t know much about it, but what I do know, is that he was exposed to a high enough does that it should have killed him.” Rhodey continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, it clearly didn’t kill him or he wouldn’t be in Tony’s bed right now. So, what happened?” Happy questioned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you remember several months ago, the fight in Harlem?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That fight between those monsters that levelled Harlem? Of course.” Pepper replied. Rhodey brought up a video to show them anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that green one, the one people have nicknamed ‘The Hulk’, that’s Doctor Bruce Banner.” Rhodey revealed. Pepper and Happy looked at him with fear and worry in their eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony won’t know, will he?” Happy asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what he does and doesn’t know. Either way, he could be in danger.” Rhodey reasoned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not so sure. The look on both his and Tony’s face when they saw each other again was quite something, when I saw them they were wrapped so tightly in each other’s arms. I’ve never known Tony be like that with anyone.” Pepper commented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This man is a fugitive, Pepper.” Rhodey warned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Either way, we’re going to be nice tonight if Tony lets us meet him. Not one mention of the Hulk.” Pepper stated, leaving no room for argument. “Tony really likes this guy.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Once they were showered and ready for company, Bruce went to look at the view now that daylight was fading fast and Tony called Rhodey. “You’re all welcome to come over and meet Bruce properly.” He started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you. You know we all just care about you and you’d never been hung up on anyone before, and you haven’t been since. It’s just this one guy.” Rhodey reminded his closest friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. I’m saying you can come over and meet him, so come on before I change my mind. We’ll be ordering in some food, I’ll check with him and just buy whatever you, Happy and Pepper usually have.” Tony replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, we’ll probably see you in an hour or so.” Rhodey replied. He wa</span>
  <span>s</span>
  <span> on his way to meet Pepper and Happy at the office anyway, since Tony had cancelled the entire week for this guy. He had to be something special.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See you then.” Tony acknowledged, ending the call. “They’ll be here in about an hour.” He warned Bruce.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s fine.” Bruce smiled, taking Tony’s hand in his and allowing the inventor to pull him in for another kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would you like, food wise?” Tony asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not Indian.” Bruce said, immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to India when I leave here, so I’ll be having plenty of Indian food soon.” Bruce laughed. “How do burgers sound?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you’re my soulmate.” Tony deadpanned. Bruce burst out laughing, allowing Tony to pull him in for another kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I take it burgers are a good choice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I fucking love burgers.” Tony replied. Bruce couldn’t help but laugh again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, cows are sacred in India so I don’t imagine I’ll be having many burgers.” Bruce commented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can have burgers everyday if you want.” Tony offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll think about it.” Bruce smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what do you want?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A standard cheeseburger would be great.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just one? And do you want fries with it?” Tony checked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess a couple would be okay and yes please to fries.” Bruce replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“JARVIS, everyone’s usual order and Bruce’s too, please.” Tony announced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, sir. It should be here in 45 to 60 minutes.” JARVIS replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I forgot about JARVIS.” Bruce laughed. He’d heard that most of Tony’s homes were run by an artificial intelligence system that he’d created, it was named JARVIS, it was an acronym but it was also the name of his father’s butler when he was a child.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know about JARVIS?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve followed your work and stuff like that for most of my life, it’s just been more intense since I met you.” Bruce admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that makes two of us then.” Tony smiled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pepper, Happy and Rhodey arrived at the same time as the food, so everyone went into the kitchen to sort their food as Tony introduced them. “I apologise, Doctor Banner, I never told you my name. I’m Pepper, Tony’s PA.” Pepper smiled, shaking Bruce’s hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please call me Bruce, that goes for everyone.” Bruce replied. He then accepted a handshake from both Rhodey and Happy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, who chose burgers? Not that I’m complaining but we’ve discussed eating healthier, Tony.” Pepper asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did.” Bruce smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, he’s perfect for you, isn’t he?” She laughed. Rhodey rolled his eyes, Pepper had always been a hopeless romantic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like to think so.” Tony smiled, pulling Bruce in for a kiss. Bruce was less enthusiastic than usual given the fact that they had company, but he accepted it anyway. Pepper smiled fondly at the pair. Tony never let himself fall for anyone so it would be nice if he’d finally found someone. The group all went outside to eat because it was a lovely evening and Bruce just loved the views.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Bruce, what can you tell us about yourself? Tony hasn’t really told us anything.” Happy asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want to know?” Bruce smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where did you go to college?” Pepper asked, not really knowing what to ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harvard, and then I taught at Culver.” Bruce replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you teach?” Happy asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nuclear Physics and Biochemistry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have never felt more uneducated in my life.” Happy joked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you he’s brilliant.” Tony smirked. Bruce smiled and pressed a chaste kiss to Tony’s cheek, Tony pulled him back in for a proper kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you like to do in your spare time?” Rhodey asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I travel a lot, the world is a fascinating place and I’d love to explore as much of it as possible.” Bruce replied. Rhodey was impressed, that was a brilliant way to word the fact that he was on the run from the government and had been travelling the world to flee from being caught. Tony wasn’t kidding when he said this guy had a brilliant mind. He and Tony were clearly compatible and very content together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where have you been so far?” Happy asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Recently I’ve been to Canada, Japan, Brazil. I’ll be heading off on another trip when I leave here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, where are you planning on going?” Pepper asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“India.” Bruce whispered, he didn’t really want to tell them where he was going in case it got back to the military but India was a big country, with a population of over 1 billion people, maybe it wouldn’t be easy to find him. But, Tony trusted these people and he trusted Tony. “I’m going to go and grab another drink, would anyone else like one?” Bruce asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have a beer.” Rhodey asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whiskey, please.” Tony smiled, pressing a kiss to the back of Bruce’s hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have a beer as well, but just the one, unless you’re okay for us to crash here?” Happy asked, looking at Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s plenty of bedrooms, as long as you’re nowhere near mine then it’s fine. Or you might hear something you don’t want to.” Tony joked, winking at Bruce who rolled his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll come and help you.” Pepper smiled. “I’m sure you can’t carry 5 drinks on your own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was just going to make more than one trip.” Bruce shrugged. Once Rhodey was sure the two of them were out of earshot, both he and Happy turned to Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How well do you know him, Tony?” Rhodey asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the fuck does it matter?” Tony asked. “I’ll admit, we’re still getting to know each other but I’ve never been more sure of anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony, there are things you don’t know about him.” Rhodey warned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean the fact that he’s ‘The Hulk’ or whatever the fuck the public have called him.” Tony shot back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so you do know. But you're harbouring a fugitive.” Happy added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s not staying forever, okay. I’ve been trying to persuade him to stay longer but he won’t fucking budge. Look, I don’t know what it is about him but I can’t get him out of my fucking mind, and the fact that he came back means so much to me.” Tony said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did he come back?” Happy asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He saw on the news about me being presumed dead and then he saw that I’d been found again and needed to see me again.” Tony replied, just repeating what Bruce had said to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, but if he comes back, I’ll have to report him, you understand that, right?” Rhodey warned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Why the fuck can’t you just be happy that I’ve found someone? I understand that I’ll never get a happy ever after with him, but can I please just get to spend the time with him that I’ve got? Without your judgement?” Tony asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m judging you nine ways to Sunday but I’ll concede and let you spend the time you’ve got with him.” Rhodey frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As long as you are safe, as long as you are sure you know what you’re doing and you’re happy then I see no issues. He’s clearly as interested as you are.” Happy replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Tony smiled, looking at his closest friend and chauffeur/bodyguard. It wasn’t much longer until Pepper and Bruce returned, carrying drinks for everyone between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Bruce, how long are you staying?” Rhodey asked, curiously after they’d all had a couple of drinks, well Bruce stuck with anything non-alcoholic but everyone else had a drink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does it matter?” Tony interrupted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just curious.” Rhodey smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know who I am.” Bruce stated. He didn’t need to ask it as a question, Rhodely clearly knew, which meant everyone else did. And he’d overheard them talking to Tony about it anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We do. But we’re not going to do anything.” Rhodey agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m staying for a week, well, slightly less than a week now but I won’t be here forever.” Bruce sighed. Tony frowned, wishing more than anything that the one person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with would stay. He could only hope that one day they may meet again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Having met you, I understand why you ran.” Rhodey observed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah?” Bruce asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re just nothing like the report said. You ran for your own safety. Accidents happen, but that doesn’t seem to be how General Ross sees it.” Rhodey explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I certainly appreciate you allowing me this time with Tony, even though you’re all clearly on edge about the other guy. Honestly, I’m not happy about it either but I don’t have a choice. I’d much prefer to stay in one place, but even after I helped stop Blonsky, they want to lock me away for the damage caused. When it wasn’t my fault.” Bruce rambled. Tony took the physicist’s hand in his and squeezed it. He could see Pepper watching them with a frown on her face. She was a hopeless romantic, so she probably felt bad for them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eventually, the five of them moved from outside the mansion, to down on the beach. They were all laying on the blankets and Rhodey had even started a fire. Bruce curled into Tony’s side and allowed Tony to pull him in for several chaste kisses. Everyone else was sat together, Pepper in between Happy and Rhodey, all of them laughing. Tony looked over at his friends and couldn’t help but feel the most at peace he had since, since he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this at peace.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Later on during Bruce’s stay, Tony took him down to the lab to show him what he’d been working on. For starters, Bruce was very impressed by the robots, he was even more in awe when Tony explained how he’d escaped from the cave and he showed Bruce the blueprints he had for another suit. They ended up having sex on the workbench.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>They had a wonderful week together, life hadn’t been so good to Bruce since before the accident. It had been a crazy couple of years, but being with Tony was the best week he’d probably ever had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce sighed heavily as he entered the bedroom and got in bed beside Tony on his last night. He’d gotten so used to sleeping beside the inventor over the week. “Is everything okay?” Tony asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m just not ready for it to be my last night.” Bruce confessed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then stay.” Tony said, pulling Bruce closer so that he was on his back with Bruce curled up to his side, an arm wrapped around Bruce’s shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony… I’m a fugitive, do you have any idea what would happen to you if anyone found out I was here? I’m sure it wouldn’t end well and I can’t do that to you.” Bruce whispered, trying not to cry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care, I just want you with me.” Tony replied, pulling Bruce in for a kiss. They made love so carefully and gently, both crying by the time they climaxed. Saying goodbye was the hardest thing either of them had ever done.</span>
</p>
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